Here goes the harmony on the team....

There is never any reason to EVER eat at a fast food restaurant. What they serve is a product, but I would never call it food. I love myself and my family too much to even buy coffee there. They are liars; they create products that are addictive, and that will kill you. You might as well throw a pack of smokes and a lighter in the backseat.

If, god forbid you HAVE to do fast food, at least do Wendy's where you can get a REAL, honest to god chicken breast, a decent salad or baked potato or chili. They have fruit for the kids. If they are hungry, they will eat a grilled chicken breast and some oranges.

Other places would allow you to run in and get something decent....Qdoba, Panera, Subway...all viable options for a quick meal where you eat something your great grandparents would recognize as food. The option to run into the store and grab some apples to hold them over alwaya exists, as does keeping something in the car for such emergencies. I have a box of Z-bars in the car at all times. Not 'whole' foods, but it is not McDonald's.

As for your choice of what to eat---no one needs that much meat in one sitting ever. Why would you not limit yourself to a hamburger, small fries and a bottled water? TWO sandwiches? Really?

It was not worth it for so many reasons. I know when the little ones are sick it is so easy to rationalize almost anything, and except when you ask to be chastised, no one would say anything about it. "Oh, the kids were sick; sometimes you just have to do what you have to do." I am not discounting that. But when you have kids, it will either be illness or a busy schedule or too much homework or something will always be an excuse. You have to be prepared for food issues for all of you at all times.

Lastly, this is not what you want to teach your children. You want to teach them to plan for success. You want them to learn that a better option always is available. And you don't want them to confuse product with food.

Thank you guys. I figured out a rough estimate of the points. approx 30! That is a whole days worth of points. In reality it didn't even taste as good as I remembered. Wait that was a lie. The pies were pretty tasty but I would be much further ahead with an apple. I know this. I had been doing really well not eating there at all or if I did it was either a Southwestern salad or grilled bacon ranch salad. Then they discontinued the Southwestern and I boycotted them completely for a while. I am usually really good about not going out with the kids around meal time. They get hungry and ask for nuggets and fries. It is a good thing we are hermits and they don't get to town often. No more than twice a month which is still to often in my opinion.

On a much brighter note I will be eating Progresso Light soup for dinner with a chicken breast and veggies.

I also got my WATP Walk and Jog dvd today. I only paid $5 for it and that included s&h. I did the whole thing! :) ! :) I was so excited. No complicated moves, her people didn't annoy me, and I didn't get bored with it. I have another dvd coming with a 1 and 2 mile express I think. I can't wait until it gets here. Anyone know how to log the WATP on ***********? I think Leslie said it was a 2.5 mile jog in 30 minutes. I gotta go look.

I am also going to sit down and do some more menu planning after the kids go to bed tonight. Not just dinners like I usually do but all three meals just for myself. :)

No, I'm not going to tell you that was okay. The thought never crossed my mind. I'm not going to enable you at all. But, I'm not going to beat you up about it either. I have a feeling that you've always been yourself up enough about things in the past....and, look how good that's worked for you! What I am going to do is remind you of how very easy it is to stray off-plan. Just when we think we're in the clear and can relax again...wham-o....here comes another temptation that we're not prepared for and down we go. Yes, you need to pick yourself up and keep going and you can get around this. But, you do need to spend some thinking time figuring out why you allowed this to happen and coming up with some plans for preventing this in the future.

....some points to think on...Why McD's? Was there absolutely no other option available with just an iota of healthiness? Why not just go home and eat something? Did you give yourself permission because it had been such a stressful day? Life is full of stress and always will be full of stress. Give yourself permission to stay on-plan, be healthy and set an example for the kids.

Okay...I'm finished. Hope this helps some. And, I still think you need a hug! :hug:

:carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot::carrot:

Mistakes are worthless if we cannot learn from them. Nice turn around.

Hi Bluesers! Checking in with our lovely team before I get on the treadmill. I have to be honest, I'm really not feeling It today, but I will make myself do my workout. I'm going to have to channel a little bit of Jillian!

Heather, maybe the honeybuns had something to do with your period? I know that TOM usually made me crave the sugary carbs even more than normal. I’m sorry you had to cancel your appointment. Are you able to re-schedule for a close appointment or are you having to wait a while? I hope its soon.

Wow….2 hours!!! And, you crave the exercise….I want to be like you when I grow up! :D

Good for you for sticking to your decision! Being in a group like that is always a tough situation for me. Those are the times when I start to feel deprived and sorry for myself. Thanks for showing us that you can tell yourself no.

:carrot: Amberelise, you've put together a great plan! One of the greatest tools of success is planning. I can't wait to read about your great binge free evening.

That is great new, Nori! Hope you have a great weigh-in tomorrow. So, guess this is your last chance workout. :)

Great news! I hope you enjoy your workouts.

Yes, any loss will benefit the team. But, most importantly, any loss benefits you!

Marianne, I understand. The first thing I look for when I’m tired are the sweet junky things. I’m so proud of you for spending time trying to determine why this is happening and what to do about it. I can tell already that this challenge is going to be incredible for you!

Kelly, all I can say is wow! And, you forgot to weigh-in? I don't believe I've ever done that! :D

Hey to you, too. Hope you are feeling better tomorrow.


Okay, its time for me to get off the BOB(Big Old Butt) and sweat. I hear my treadmill calling to me.

I was going to go to the gym tonight, but when I got to the library, the second season of BIG LOVE was waiting for me. So I am doing the treadmill here at home so that I can watch that instead of waiting in line at the gym. Freakin' New Year's people.

Zinke--Look really hard at all the calories and points you consumed in that one meal, get nice and disgusted at yourself, then go do an extra hard workout with those new weights. Beat yourself up through exercise, then start asking what you will do next time to prevent this. I am assuming you were hungry when you made the stop, so maybe you can keep something healthier in your purse for those moments. I keep those peanut butter cracker packs in my purse and give them to the kids when they are hungry and it's late...they love them, keeps them happy until we get home and I make soup and sandwiches real quick. Think about how you'll handle this next time...and follow through. I see this as a journey and this was a learning point for you, learn and move forward with knew knowledge in hand. The new knowledge is this: you can't trust yourself to stop there just "for the kids" and not get something for you...so don't stop! It would have been better for them and you to stop at a gas station and let them pick out those little snack cakes or something until you got home, right?

Rhonda--I really hated exercise about a year ago when I first started...I mean HATED it. Then I found WATP and it was tolerable. I couldn't even do the 1 mile, so started with half mile, by the end of the week I was doing the one mile, and a week later was doing the 2 mile. I improved so fast it amazed me, and I started to enjoy it. Then I realized i knew the moves and knew the pace to keep, so I started doing my own little walking workouts while watching TV. No more sitting down to watch my shows, I am always moving now. Now i have bumped that up even more. I get my step out and start doing the walking moves on the floor, then I do them on the step. Walking becomes the basic step up, then down, tap and up with other foot, etc. Side steps become stepping up with each foot in corners of the step and back down. Kicks. Step up and kick to the side, then down and kick to the other side. Same with Knee lifts. I change moves when the scene on the show changes, and during commercials I run circles around my house! ON weight days I do all this while holding my 3 lb. weights. I then discovered I love pilates and it changed the shape of my body, and now I am really into dancing videos (Carmen Electra's are really fun and on demand for free now). anyway, for me it was finding things I enjoy, and finding a way to do them on my own while watching TV...I associate exercise with fun things like Gray's Anatomy basicaly. Gosh, I am just typing you books today, sorry!

scgirl--OMG he is so cute!!!!! I want him to come home with me :lol: what are you going to name him?

Kelly--I say 5 lb. is enough to keep you away from munching :woohoo: awesome for you and our team :)

Seriously everyone. I want to thank you for your replies. I am doing some copy and pasting and printing them out to keep in the van. :) My own little cheering squad wherever I go.

Ohmy god SCGirl...I want one! How adorable! I love doggies and that one truly is a cutie! Of course the one in your avatar is too! What are they?

Just dropping by to report my exercise...60 minutes today! Now off to record it on the other thread.

"WHEN YOU FAIL TO PLAN, YOU HAVE PLANNED TO FAIL."

That's one of those real lightbulb quotes, huh? That is soo true, whether we have a life with kids who can quickly rearrange our day by being sick or cranky, give eldercare to our parents, have a job which requires travel, or many other things.

I did a 90 minute weight workout while TBL was on and then had to catch the train into the city yesterday and do ALOT of walking from the subway to the train and between different buildings in the cold. I am sooo sore today. Sitting on the couch is painful, as is just plain old walking now. I think the 20 reps of ball on the wall squats and the dumbbell squats really did me in. I did 30min cardio that day too, but nothing too bad is lingering from there.

Is anyone watching American Idol or are we just TBL fans? I haven't watched it yet; I think I will skip the auditions this year and wait for Hollywood week cuz it just feels so dumbed down to watch these people. The talented ones who make it on the show get less air time than then wackos! I watched it the last 2 seasons, but those were years I didn't have TBL running at the same time!!

I KNOW!! I'm not wishing failure for anyone, but I need some space back at the gym! Last night I had to ride a bike.;) If my memory serves me right by March 1 it'll be back to normal!

Fran - sorry about the feet. There's hardly anything worse. (Well, childbirth is up there too!) We do watch AI here. DH is actually more into it than I am. But we don't watch until it really starts.

I'm off to a baby shower this evening. I saw the food list on the evite and there's going to be lots of healthy food there!:carrot:

Go Zinke, Go Zinke, Go Zinke

onthetee - you guys got NO snow? Weird. I think we got, like, 2 inches maybe?

girlygirl I think you are right about the TOM. I am going in 2.5 weeks. I'm annoyed and anxious because my abnormal pap was over two months ago. I just want it over!

So I see a few brave souls have already weighed in! :) Are most of us Saturday posters? I used to be a Monday weigher but I think I'll switch to Saturday during this challenge! Plus, that gives me all week to un-do anything bad I might do over the weekend.

My motto right now: Be prepared. Be prepared by going to the grocery store and planning meals ahead of time. Be prepared for unexpected eating situations. Be prepared for bad weather with alternate exercise options. (It's going to be 2 degrees here on Saturday?!?!)

Great news...HUBBY IS HOME :love: I have spent most of the day hugging him, cuddling him, and occaisonally letting the kids have his attention. Now he's in bed, having been awake for like 30 hours or something :dizzy: How he does that I will never understand.

Bad news...I realized awhile ago that I have barely eaten anything today! I was only at 500 calories at 5PM, so I had a snack and started supper. Now I am at 1100 and am stuffed from supper. I'm just not hungry, even though I know that's way low...1500 was my limit for today. I decided not to force myself to eat, but I will make those calories "extra" to use over the weekend if I want.

I have only gotten in a half hour of exercise, so I'm off now to do 3 miles WATP. Got email that my Jillian DVDs have been shipped yesterday...surprised, it said when I ordered they would be delivered between Feb. 25-March 7...but I will take them now, no problem! I can't wait to try them! I got all 7 of them.

FOO! I knew I was going to Panera today, planned and all that. However, one place that I looked up Chicken Frontega gave the 1/2 sandwich calories,which I cut in half. Came home to put in the counter, realized the other site was not as accurate and now I am out 200 calories, which I had planned for my snack.

Grrr.....looks like hot tea all night.